ISHS Acta Horticulturae 215: Seed Research in Horticulture
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN OSMOTIC TREATMENT OF VEGETABLE SEEDS |
| Authors: | P.A. Brocklehurst, J. Dearman, R.L.K. Drew |
| Abstract:
The technique of osmotic priming of vegetable seeds to give more rapid and uniform germination and emergence has now been tested on a wide range of species. Some recent results are presented, illustrating the beneficial effects of priming for field sowings, using seed which was completely dried after treatment. Increases in plant weight following seed priming were related to earlier seedling emergence; growth cabinet studies showed that priming did not alter seedling relative growth rates. Onion seed was dried and stored for 12 months after priming, with no significant loss of the beneficial effect of treatment. Accelerated ageing experiments suggest that priming may delay the onset of deterioration in the seed. Treatments with polyethylene glycol (PEG), glycerol and KH2PO4 were compared; PEG gave the most consistent results over a range of species, and KH2PO4 reduced percentage germination and emergence, most markedly in leek and one cultivar of celery. It is shown that there is considerable scope for combining other chemical treatments with priming, for example plant growth regulators and fungicides. | |
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